Manny Ramirez expected to join Chicago White Sox

APManny Ramirez will reportedly be leaving Los Angeles for Chicago, where he will join the White Sox after they claimed the slugger off waivers.

By JAY COHEN

CHICAGO -- Manny Ramirez helped the Boston Red Sox win the World Series in 2004
and 2007. He powered the Los Angeles Dodgers to the NL West title two
years ago with a stellar run at the plate.

The Chicago White Sox are hoping he has one more playoff push left.

Ramirez
is expected to join the White Sox on Monday, giving the fading playoff
contenders a big boost during a key 10-game road trip.

A
person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Sunday
night that Chicago was close to acquiring the slugger from L.A. The
person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the details were
still being worked out, expected the deal to be completed on Monday, but
whether it's a trade or waiver claim was still to be determined.

The
White Sox are hoping Ramirez will be energized by a change of scenery
and can give them a lift similar to the one he provided when he was
acquired by the Dodgers in 2008. Los Angeles got Ramirez in a deadline
deal that season, and he hit .396 with 17 homers in 53 games to lead the
club to the postseason.

But that was two
years ago, and the 38-year-old Ramirez has been hampered by right leg
injuries this season. The outfielder is batting .311 with eight homers
and 40 RBIs in 66 games in 2010.

White Sox
general manager Kenny Williams declined comment in an e-mail to the AP.

The AP also e-mailed Dodgers GM Ned Colletti seeking comment.

Ramirez's
salary is $20 million in the final season of a two-year contract, but
only $5 million is due this year, with the rest to be paid over the next
three years. He also has a full no-trade clause.

The
White Sox were awarded a waiver claim on Ramirez last week, giving them
until 1:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday to complete a trade with the Dodgers. Or
Los Angeles could let him go and the White Sox would simply assume his
salary.

Those details were still being worked
out, with Chicago likely trying for a trade that would include cash to
offset part of Ramirez's salary.

The White Sox
(70-60) have lost nine of 14 and 13 of 20 to fall 4 1/2 games back of
AL Central-leading Minnesota with three games left in the season series
between the teams. Interestingly enough, the first two stops on their
10-game trip are Cleveland and Boston, two of Ramirez's former clubs.

"We
know what time it is," second baseman Gordon Beckham said after
Sunday's 2-1 loss to the New York Yankees. "September is around the
corner and we have to make a push."

Ramirez
likely would become the designated hitter in Chicago, especially
considering his recent fragile history. He returned Aug. 21 from his
third stint on the DL this year.

The 12-time
All-Star became a fan favorite when he arrived in Los Angeles, with a
section of seats named in his honor at Chavez Ravine and wigs that
mimicked his dreadlocks suddenly becoming fashionable. Ramirez performed
so well down the stretch during his first season in Los Angeles that
the Dodgers signed him to a two-year, $45 million contract.

The
injuries and last season's 50-game suspension following a failed drug
test soured his stay, and Ramirez hasn't spoken to reporters since
spring training, when he said this would be his final season in L.A.

The
Dodgers (67-64) could have kept Ramirez to bolster their chances of
making the postseason. They won four straight last week to move closer
to a playoff spot, then lost consecutive games at Colorado over the
weekend to slip back.

Los Angeles is fourth in
the NL West, 10 games back of first-place San Diego, and trails wild
card-leading Philadelphia by 6 1/2 games.

Ramirez,
who hasn't started a game since Wednesday at Milwaukee, entered
Sunday's 10-5 loss as a pinch hitter and was ejected after arguing a
called strike on the only pitch he saw.